And here it is – The latest dispatch from Planet Dignity | OneFootball

And here it is. The latest dispatch from Planet Dignity. Where every defeat to Celtic is swiftly followed by a statement longer than anything issued by the royalist formerly known as Prince, and twice as self-pitying…

theRangers at Hampden. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“The handling of key incidents during Sunday’s semi-final has again raised legitimate concerns about the consistency of refereeing in Scottish football.

Club representatives met with the Scottish FA this evening to seek explanations for major decisions in the match, including the incident involving Jack Butland and Auston Trusty.

Following that meeting, we remain unsatisfied with the explanation of the referee’s decision in that incident, the application of the Laws of the Game, and the VAR review itself, which we do not believe was sufficiently robust or thorough.

We recognise that refereeing decisions can impact both sides in a game, but too many important matches continue to be influenced by calls that are inconsistent and difficult to justify. These decisions have real consequences, determining results, impacting fans, and affecting the livelihoods of players, coaches and staff whose work is judged by outcomes on the pitch.

The club has consistently raised issues as they have occurred with the Scottish FA, but we do not feel there has been enough change in how refereeing is being developed at the highest level.

We understand and share the anger among our supporters, who have grown frustrated at the repeated inconsistencies in major match decisions that continue to affect the club.

For the benefit of our supporters and the wider game in the country, we will continue to hold the Scottish FA to account and expect them to lead meaningful progress that delivers lasting improvement.”

Justice for Jack. Day Three of the Great Goalkeeper Grievance…

Callum Osmand scores. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Poor Butland, the man who survived the vicious assault of Auston Trusty’s wayward temple breeze. The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or as the sane call it, a wee tap on the heid.

It wouldn’t be theRangers, either of them, without this ritual. The game ends, the tears dry, and then—bang!—the statement drops like an anvil on Wile E Coyote’s napper. Sorry, too soon Jack?

Trusty barely brushed him. There was about as much weight behind it as a hump with Victoria Beckham. Reckless? Aye, that’s fine. Endangering? Only if Butland’s skull was made of Angel Delight.

You might even feel a flicker of sympathy for the Ibrox men if they hadn’t once appealed a four-game UEFA ban for Kemar Roofe, the same Roofe who left a Czech keeper with a fractured skull and a permanent fear of Riverdance.

UEFA called it a “dangerous assault.” Rangers called it “severe.” Somewhere between those two lies the club’s moral compass, spinning like a playpark roundabout in a gale.

The new American owners were supposed to bring a breath of professionalism, less paranoia, more purpose. Instead, we get more of the same, grievance as gospel. They hired a vegan manager, talked of culture change, then watched the travelling hordes gnash their teeth in hotel lobbies across Europe and thought, better keep them sweet. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Only these guys wear sandals.

And the fans lap it up, of course. Every 50/50 decision becomes a chalk outline. The Trusty incident could have gone either way, sure, but it wasn’t a scandal, it wasn’t a conspiracy, it was just football, contact sport, spherical object, grown men in shorts and a wee bit of subjective opinion.

Referee Nick Walsh. Celtic v theRangers. Premier Sports Cup, semi final at Hampden. 2 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Yet they fixate on that one call, ignoring the handful that went their way, the dubious penalty, the coin flip red for Cornelius that landed on ‘heads’, sorry Jack, too soon? The Celtic penalty claim that’s been completely ignored when Reo Hatate was barged inside the six yard box. Or all those soft free kicks that stopped Celtic’s counterattacks dead. But that doesn’t fit the narrative, does it?

Because in Ibrox logic, there’s only one possible explanation for losing, bias, betrayal, and VAR bent by dark forces from the East End.

It’s become their coping mechanism, defeat by statement, humiliation by communique. They can’t process the reality that in nearly a decade back in the top flight, they’ve only managed to collect three trophies despite a revolving door of double that figure in managers. It’s not incompetence, it’s a conspiracy. It’s not crap football, it’s a fix.

Foreign refs, they cry now. “Bring in the Europeans!” As long as they’re not of ‘fighting age’ and don’t cross the channel on small boats of course.

Like the ref against Kiev, who was apparently under a UEFA directive to keep a Ukrainian team in the competition, cos of the war and all that, a conspiracy that seemingly extended to the United Nations. Or Bilbao, when Dessers was denied a second leg penalty, cos the ref was under instruction to let Bilbao reach the final…because…Bilbao was hosting the final. Those foreign refs?

The paranoia is the point. It keeps the hordes believing that they’re still the wronged heroes of some grand myth, not just a team that’s best described as being Michael Fish for most of a decade.

So here we are again, another November, another dignified meltdown. Jack Butland’s skull intact, theRangers’ ego bruised, and the rest of us left sighing at the sheer front of it all. It’s enough to make your head hurt. Actually hurt Jack.

Justice for Jack? Aye, nae bother, but maybe first, a wee dose of self-awareness for the rest of them.

Niall J

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, signed copies by Danny McGrain available from celticstarbooks.com

Don’t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter’s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain  Danny McGrain PLUS you’ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter’s Willie Fernie biography – Putting on the Style, and you’ll only be charged for postage on one book.  Order from Celtic Star Books HERE.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

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